From a climbing adventure in South Dakota’s Black Hills comes a profound lesson about leadership, trust, and helping others reach their next summit.
More than any blog I’ve done, the text barely does this justice.
Please watch the video above, it will blow your mind!
When Falling Becomes Flying
People often ask me: “Do you fall when you’re climbing?” The answer is simple—of course we do. We’re human. But here’s what most people don’t know: on rare occasions, we may have to fall intentionally to reach the summit.
This truth became crystal clear during a family climbing trip to Custer State Park in South Dakota back in 2012. The Needles Highway winds through magnificent granite spires near Mount Rushmore, some towering 300 feet into the sky. After successfully climbing Spire Two on our first day, we set our sights on the tallest challenge: Spire Four.
A Family’s Leap of Faith
The climb went smoothly through the first two sections, and I made it to the summit without issue. But then came my son Manley’s moment of truth—what should have been the easiest move on the entire route became the psychological crux of the climb.
The challenge? A four-foot gap between the spire we’d been climbing and the actual summit. For a 12-year-old, that’s no small leap. More intimidating still was the 400-foot drop between the granite towers—a vertical elevator shaft straight to the ground.
Manley took a deep breath and made a choice that would define the rest of our day. He didn’t commit 80% or even 99%—he went all in with what I call Exponential Commitment. With no hesitation, he committed 100% and intentionally fell across the gap between the spires. With a few more moves to the summit, he then immediately burst into celebration (without asking permission, which is part of our family culture).
His courage inspired his 10-year-old sister Lizzie, who despite being much shorter, also committed 100% and fell across the gap without hesitation. Even my wife Emily, who’s afraid of heights, found the strength to make the intentional fall and then join us on the summit.
The Moment Everything Changed
But the real magic happened next. A young couple had been climbing behind us, and when they reached that same crucial gap, everything I’d learned about leadership crystallized in a single moment.
The boyfriend made it across, but his girlfriend, Becky, was frozen at the edge. What happened next was captured on the video above, and it reveals something profound about trust, guidance, and the power of example. Check out the video above if you haven’t already; it might just make your day!
Standing on the summit where she wanted to be, I began coaching her through the moves, encouraging her by letting her know I believed in her and also giving her specific technical advice. After a terrifying couple of minutes, Becky also fell on purpose to bridge the gap between the towers and then made her way up to our summit celebration.
Why She Listened to a Stranger
Here’s the question that stopped me in my tracks afterward: Why did Becky listen to me? Why would she trust guidance from someone she’d never met before? She didn’t even know my name, and I had only just learned hers listening to her boyfriend a moment before.
You might think it’s because I had climbing experience or spoke with authority. But the real answer is simpler and more powerful: I was already where she wanted to be.
Would my encouragement have carried the same weight if I’d been shouting from the ground below? “Go on, Becky! Fall across there! No problem!” Absolutely not.
She trusted me because I had made it to a summit she was trying to reach. I wasn’t asking her to do something I hadn’t already done myself.
Your Summit Awaits
This brings me to the most important point of this story—and the challenge I want to leave you with today.
In your life, both professionally and personally, you’ve already reached the summit of something that someone else is struggling to achieve right now. Maybe it’s:
- A career milestone they’re working toward
- A personal challenge they’re facing
- A skill they’re trying to develop
- A fear they’re trying to overcome
There’s someone out there who needs you to be their guide.
You don’t need a title or formal authority. You don’t need permission or credentials. You just need to:
- Recognize your summits – Acknowledge what you’ve already accomplished
- Look for your Becky – Find someone who’s trying to reach where you’ve been
- Get On Belay – Offer genuine encouragement and guidance
- Pour belief into them – Help them find a way to fully commit, 100%
Remember: the difference between 99% commitment and 100% commitment is not 1%, it is exponential!
Falling vs. Failing
Remember this: falling is not failing. Falling is part of the human experience, and sometimes it’s exactly what we need to do to reach our next summit.
When you find your Becky—that person who’s standing at their own four-foot gap with a 400-foot drop below—don’t just offer advice from a distance. Position yourself where they want to be, extend your hand, and help them make that leap of exponential commitment.
The view from the summit is always better when shared.
What summit have you reached that someone else is trying to climb? Share this post with someone who needs to know that you believe in their ability to make the leap.
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